Runcorn Linnets — Stafford Rangers

Mar 7, 2026

It was a tough afternoon for Stafford who made just one change to their starting line up with Kaiman Anderson replacing Dan Cockerline who needs surgery on his troublesome shoulder and is likely to miss the rest of the season.

Runcorn had the better of the opening 10 minutes without creating too much of a threat on the Stafford goal.

Rangers held firm and missed a great chance to take the lead from a Jack Birch corner when Callum Wilson volleyed wide.

Soon after, Birch himself was guilty of a miss when he failed to keep the ball down after keeper Yusuf Mersin had dropped Ben O’Hanlon’s cross.

Matt Hearsey charged down a clearance from the Runcorn keeper but the ball ran away from goal and Steve Irwin cleared the danger.

In between, Runcorn’s Declan McLoughlin had a shot saved by Scott Moloney and Naim Arsan fired over.

What proved to be the decisive goal came in the 24th minute when Lewis Doyle’s cross was met by the head of Arsan and the ball squirmed under the body of Moloney.

Harry Flowers blocked a shot from Arsan and Moloney saved from Ryan Brooke as Runcorn threatened to double their lead.

Rangers had chances to level before the break. The best fell to John Atherton who was denied at the near post by Mersin.

Meanwhile, a good block from Andy Burns prevented Brooke from adding to the Runcorn tally.

Half Time: Runcorn Linnets 1 Stafford Rangers 0

Moloney made a good save at the start of the second half as he turned over a shot from McLoughlin following an exchange with Scott Bakkor.

Moloney saved again, this time from Brooke, but Rangers were still firmly in the contest and O’Hanlon should have done better with his drive on goal before Mersin made a comfortable save keeping out Hearsey.

The Runcorn keeper began a counter attack with a quick roll out to McLoughlin who ran the length of the pitch before shooting wide.

A flash point came with 15 minutes remaining following a poor challenge on O’Hanlon by Joseph Ferguson.

The offending Runcorn player was extremely fortunate to escape with just a yellow card but referee Adam Watson was quick to brandish similar punishment to Flowers and O’Hanlon in the aftermath. For the latter, his injury was enough to end his involvement in the game.

Rangers brought on Jimmy O’Neill in the hope that his long throws may create something but it was not to be Rangers’ day.

Full Time: Runcorn Linnets 1 Stafford Rangers 0

Runcorn Linnets: 1 Yusuf Mersin, 2 Joseph Ferguson, 3 Matthew Rain, 4 Jacques Welsh, 5 Peter Wylie, 6 Steve Irwin, 7 Naim Arsan (12 Seam Miller 84m), 8 Lewis Doyle, 9 Scott Bakkor (17 James Steele 90m), 10 Declan McLoughlin (Markell Foulds 84m), 11 Ryan Brooke. Unused Subs 16 Noah Roberts, 18 Isaac Graham

Stafford Rangers: 1 Scott Moloney, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Ben O’Hanlon (14 James O’Neill 78m), 4 Ashley Fallon (16 Dylan Scott 87m), 5 Harry Flowers, 6 Callum Wilson, 7 John Atherton (17 Max Chimenes 60m), 8 Marsel Tola (15 James McQuilkin 68m), 9 Kaiman Anderson, 10 Jack Birch, 11 Matthew Hearsey (12 Leon Hughes 90m).

Referee: Adam Watson

Cautions:

Runcorn: Rain 45m, Ferguson 76m
Stafford: Wilson 56m, Flowers 76m, O’Hanlon 77m, Anderson 79m, Burns 90+2m, Deakin 54m

Goals:
Runcorn: Arsan 24m

Att: 720

Report by Chris Elsley

Graham Deakin Interview

 

Stafford Rangers — Sporting Khalsa

Feb 28, 2026

It was a tough but entertaining encounter that saw a mix of quality and scrappy play with both sides squandering excellent chances to take all three points but, on a day when legendary striker Neil Grayson and his former team-mates came together, goals were a missing ingredient to the afternoon.

Graham Deakin made just one change to the side that drew with Newcastle Town a week earlier with Dan Cockerline replacing Kaiman Anderson for his first start in a month.

Rangers had a couple of early efforts on the Khalsa goal through Matt Hearsey and Marsel Tola before the visitors responded through Andre Landell.

The best chance of the opening 10 minutes fell to Stafford’s John Atherton but he dragged his shot wide of the near post.

A sustained period of pressure from the visitors saw them win a hat trick of corners which nearly produced a goal.

Scott Moloney spilled a deflected shot from Chay Tilt but Landell was denied in the follow up while Andy Burns threw his body in front of a shot from Dom Perkins.

At the other end, Atherton again got himself into a good position but appeared to be in two minds whether to shoot or pass. In the end, his ball was too far ahead of Cockerline and went wide of the goal.

Ash Fallon was another Stafford player to miss out. Two chances came his way but the first went over and the second was blocked by Perkins.

Cockerline will rue a missed opportunity after he got the better of Perkins but a tame shot was saved by R’avan Constable. Jack Birch looked certain to score with the follow up but Alex Foreshaw made an excellent block on the line.

A couple of minutes later, Birch sent another good opportunity across the face of the Khalsa goal.

Half Time: Stafford Rangers 0 Sporting Khalsa 0

The combination of poor finishing and good defending continued after the break. A poor effort from Perkins was woefully off target while Hearsey saw his header kept out by Narel Phillips.

Landell found some space in the Stafford area only for Moloney to save before the Khalsa forward sent a dangerous ball across the face of the Stafford goal with Callum Wilson and Burns defending desperately to keep the home goal intact.

Hearsey hit the post for Stafford on the hour and Constable went in bravely at the feet of Cockerline while Birch and Hearsey both had efforts blocked as Stafford enjoyed a good spell.

The final ten minutes saw both sides pressing for a winner. Moloney had to race out of goal to clear from Kieron Whittaker while Constable saved from Hearsey.

Rangers may be a little disappointed to only claim a point from a game that they had the better of the chances created although Khalsa would have understandably felt hard done to had they not earned something from their endeavours.

For Rangers, the positives were the extension of their unbeaten run and a first clean sheet in 17 league games, dating back 4 months.

Full Time: Stafford Rangers 0 Sporting Khalsa 0

Stafford Rangers: 1 Scott Moloney, 2 Andy Burns, 3 Ben O’Hanlon, 4 Ashley Fallon (16 Joe Thomas 79m), 5 Harry Flowers, 6 Callum Wilson, 7 John Atherton (12 Kaiman Anderson 62m), 8 Marsel Tola, 9 Dan Cockerline (17 Max Chimenes 62m), 10 Jack Birch (15 James McQuilkin 89m), 11 Matthew Hearsey. Unused Sub 14 James O’Neill

Sporting Khalsa: 1 R’avan Constable, 2 Narel Phillips, 3 Dominic Perkins, 4 Zach Kourouiyanni, 5 Alex Foreshaw, 6 Daniel Broni-Phillips, 7 Chay Tilt, 8 Kartell Dawkins, 9 Andre Carvalho-Landell (12 Isai Marselia 90+2m), 10 Kieron Whittaker, 11 Luke Shearer (16 Peter Taylor 74m). Unused Subs 14 Rio Sawyers, 15 Kristian Green, 17 Jordan Clarke

Referee: Thomas Hales

Cautions: Burns 89m (Stafford), Perkins 35m (Sporting Khalsa)

Att: 784

Report by Chris Elsley

Dan Cockerline Interview